£1 million fund to back groups tackling gangs and helping vulnerable children

The Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund is making available £1 million worth of grants to charities and community groups working with vulnerable young Londoners involved in or at risk of involvement with criminal and anti-social activities, and also tackling gangs. We are able to do this thanks to £800,000 from the Government and £200,000 from our endowment. This new £1 million fund is inspired by our Frontline London campaign, which, in partnership with Kids Company, seeks to turn the spotlight on gangs, as well as helping former gang members leave behind criminal life by helping them form social enterprises.

Where will the money go?

The £1 million will firstly be distributed to charities that work with young people at risk - providing safe pathways for those wishing to exit gangs, stopping criminal and anti-social behaviour, preventing younger generations from getting involved, or building skills and aspirations for better choices. Secondly, we will invest in three area-based gang-prevention and exit initiatives, starting in Lambeth and later expanding to other 'hotspot' boroughs, so as to foster a collaborative approach between different charities to provide a long term, sustainable approach. Finally, money will be put aside to evaluate each project to get evidence around what works.

We are pleased to announce the award of a further eight grants amounting to £270,000 through our partnership with the government. These grants will support groups helping some of London's most at-risk and vulnerable youngsters. Grants already announced in December of £150,000 bring the total disbursement from this pot to £420,000.

Through these grants over 1,800 young people will be helped to transform their lives over the next two years.